The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-08
OLD PETER NEY's BONES.
Exbaming tho Body to See If IL Was
That Of Napoleon's Marshal.
from the Neiu Yori; World

From the Neie Yori; World
THIRD C1EEK, n. c., May 3.-Several
prominent physicians of the SALISBURY sec
lion some time since decided to exhume the
remains of Peter S. Ney from their grave
year this place, for the purpose of ascertain
ing whether they are those of the famous
Marshal Ney, of France, who commanded
the Old Guard at Waterloo. OF all the 10
mances which have had their inception in
North Carolina this is one of the greatest.
In 1916 Ney appeared in this State
He was a singular man, and from
the very first attracted attraction,
although he used all possible means
TO avoid publicity He taught school in
Iredell and Rowan counties, and among his
pupils were men who afterwards became
prominent Certain facts were ascertained
about this singular man which fixed the
belief i'll the neighborhood that he was really
Marshal Ney, in spite Of the historical fact
that Ney was duly shot in Paris. For years
the matter has been discussed, not only here,
but in all parts of the country and abroad
Or. Lyman Draper, President of the Wis
consin Historical Society, has taken deep
interest in the matter, and III the past two
years great deal has been written on the
subject. At the special request of Dr. Drap-
Ell some of the most prominent physicians of
Salisbury agreed to exhume the body and
TO make q careful examination of the skull.
Marshal Ney's skull was trephined, and if
this skull was found to have beeli similarly
operated upon it would be practically con-
elusive proof.
Among the pieces of evidence to aid the
assertion made by many here that Marshal
Ney was this school-teacher was this:
4 Frenchman from an adjoining county
who had been O soldier under Marshal Ney
and afterwards moved TO America was at
public gathering i'll Statesville one day and
recognized the school teacher as his old
commander. He threw up his hands and
Exclaimed; 'Mon dieu! Marshal, Neyw
Without demonstration, Ney called his
name, and with his right hand waved him
off, placing the index finger over his mouth,
indicating silence
Both men soon left the crowd and were
afterwards seen in private conference.
Four days after the battle of Waterloo
Marshal Ney, in a speech before the Court
of Peers, advised treaty of peace, and
there publicly announced his determination
10 go to America, thus showing his attention
was turned towards this country.
A gentleman who nursed Peter Ney and
was with him in death and at his burial,
said to-day that Ney was perfectly conscious
at the time and that be talked about his
wife and children, and stated several times
while on his deathbed that he was Marshal
Ney aud repeated it not an hour before death.
In dressing him for burial he found that Ney
had been wounded on the thigh, neck, side
and wrist and had a large scar, like sabre
cut, on the head.
After consultation, this day was decided
upon for the exhumation, and at an early
hour the citizens of the surrounding country
and neighboring towns began to come in,
and soon a large crowd had gathered around
the quiet little country church. In the
assemblage were many of Ney's pupils, these
being old men now, their ages ranging from
90 to rs years.
At l O'Clock the physicians in charge
announced that they had no pecuniary
interest in the matter, and that the eXhuma-
zion was merely in the interest of history.
When the grave was opened nothing was
found except a few of the largest bones
some coffin nails and a small remnant of one
plank. The gentlemen in charge made the
following report
1.-The undersigned physicians wish to state
that, according to previous notice, we did
to-day cause to be eXhumed the remains of
Peter S. Ney, in the presence Of a great
many witnesses, some of them from Wash
ington, D. c., Raleigh, N c., and other
parts of the country We found some of the
bones only, and these in state of such de-
cay that we cannot state positively whether
the skull had ever been trephined or not.
We made diligent search for the bullets said
to have been lodged in the body, but found
none.
''We succeeded so far, however, as to
ascertain that the skeleton was about FIVE
feet and ten inches long, and the skull,
around above the eyes, about twenty-four
inches i'll circumference
This statement was signed by nine of the
most prominent physicians in this section.
The skull measured seven and three-fourths
inches across the forehead, and eight inches
from point above the eyes to the rear of
the head. The right side was well preserved
but the left, where the wound was, crum-
bled. All the bones were returned to the
grave. Let this days work prove what it
may, it win be long time before those
Straightforward and honest people can be
induced to change their 1ong-cherished
opinion that their old teacher and friend
was any other than Marshal Ney.